Rain Gauge

Focus
Investigate the availability of rainwater. Make your own rain gauge. Conduct a class
experiment to collect rainwater in the rain gauge over a period of time. The students can
keep daily records of the rainfall amounts. They can then calculate how many days they
would need to collect enough water for one person’s daily water requirement.

a) Collecting the rain

Precautions
¾ A rain gauge collects water to measure the amount of rainfall. On the top of most rain
gauges is a funnel to concentrate the water into a flask below. Commercial rain gauges
are designed so the appropriate rainfall is indicated on the side of the gauge. Reading the
level of water in the cylinder against the scale will provide the rainfall. This can be used as
a comparison with the class’ calculations.
¾ When setting up the rain gauge, place it in a position where it’s not affected by dripping
trees, bushes or buildings and will not be knocked over or disturbed by people or animals.

Procedure
¾ Ask students to measure the amount of rain fallen in the students’ locality using a rain
gauge made by the class. When the rain has been collected the total volume of water
needs to be measured.
¾ To calculate the rainfall you will need to measure the following:
o The area of the funnel
o The volume of the rain collected by the funnel.
o The amount of rain = the volume collected (divided by) the area of the funnel
Note: You need to be aware that all metric measurement are interrelated and 1mL (millilitre)
is exactly the same as 1cc (cubic centimetre). The area of the funnel can be estimated by
drawing the funnel onto one cm square graph paper and adding the squares completely
enclosed in the circle and half the squares bisected by the circle.

EXTENSION
¾ Make and set up a rain gauge at home.
¾ Calculate the area of your school. Using the findings from the rain gauge, find out the
volume of water covering your school each time it rains.
¾ Find out the annual rainfall for your region and estimate the volume of water that will fall
on the school over a year.

Water: Learn it for life! | Resource Bank | Year 4 – Year 5 | Explore | March 2008
b) Making a rain gauge
Focus
Investigate the availability of rainwater. Make your own rain gauge. Conduct a class
experiment to collect rainwater in the rain gauge over a period of time. The students can
keep daily records of the rainfall amounts. They can then calculate how many days they
would need to collect enough water for one person’s daily water requirement.

Materials
ƒ Take a clean PET soft drink bottle and cut the top to make a funnel.
ƒ The funnel can be turned over and pushed into the remaining cup.
ƒ This is a simple rain gauge.

Procedure
When rain has been collected:
¾ Measure the volume of water in a measuring jug or if it’s only a small amount use a
medicine glass.
¾ Measure the area of the funnel to be able to calculate the rainfall.

Results
Use this chart to record the rainfall in your school. Put data recorded onto a spreadsheet as
below:

Volume of
Day Rainfall water Calculation
collected

Water: Learn it for life! | Resource Bank | Year 4 – Year 5 | Explore | March 2008